RB Salzburg Manager Appointed New Manager from EPL

Pep Lijnders, Jürgen Klopp’s assistant at Liverpool, has been named the new manager of RB Salzburg, set to start next season.

He will leave Liverpool alongside Klopp at the end of the current campaign to take up a three-year contract with the Austrian side. Vitor Matos, Liverpool’s elite development coach, will join him in Salzburg.

Lijnders, 41, joined Liverpool in 2014 and became the first-team development coach in 2015. He worked under Brendan Rodgers and stayed on when Klopp took over in October 2015. Lijnders briefly managed NEC Nijmegen in the Netherlands in 2018 but returned to Liverpool for the 2018-19 season as assistant manager, a position he has held since.

“I am very proud to become the new head coach of FC Red Bull Salzburg,” Lijnders said. “This is a real privilege for me. After PSV Eindhoven, FC Porto, and Liverpool FC, I am now moving to another exceptional club with a strong structure and a focus on youth development. Together with my assistant coach Vitor Matos and the entire support team, we will do our best to help the club continue to grow in an ever-changing football world.”

RB Salzburg’s sporting director, Bernhard Seonbuchner, praised the appointment: “We have secured an ideal candidate in Pepijn Lijnders. He is a real football expert and has been a significant influence on a successful period for Liverpool with his player development skills. Our discussions revealed a clear agreement on our playing style, club philosophy, and future goals. We look forward to working with him while aiming to finish this season successfully.”

Lijnders’ departure was anticipated after Klopp announced his exit in January. Liverpool is expected to appoint current Feyenoord boss Arne Slot as their new manager next week, with Slot bringing his assistant Sipke Hulshoff as his first appointment, sources told ESPN.

At Liverpool, Lijnders and Klopp led the team to numerous successes, including the 2019 Champions League, the 2020 Premier League title, the FA Cup in 2022, and two League Cup titles.